The products of direct and indirect (potassium ferrocyanide as a media
tor) electrochemical guaiacol oxidation at a platinum electrode in alk
aline solutions were studied and compared with the products of chemica
l guaiacol oxidation with potassium ferricyanide. The major oxidation
products were shown to be vanillin, vanillic acid, acetoguaiacol, and
oligomers produced by oxidative coupling. Possible reaction mechanisms
were discussed.